Switching socket or connector.



VII/117111 G. G. KNAUFF.

SWITCHING SOCKET OR CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2a, 1913.

Patented Jan.6,1914.

GEORGE c. xnaurr, or cmcaeo, ILLINOIS,

SWITCHING SOCKET .OR CONNECTOR.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

a ented Jan- 6, 1914- Application filed February 26, 1913. Serial No. 750,752.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. KNAUEF,

citizen-of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of. Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switching Sockets or Connectors; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates-to electric sockets and more particularly to the type of sockets used in connection with lamps and with wire-terminal plugs on automobile lighting circuits or other circuits of low voltage One objectof m invention is to provide a simple socket a apted to receive alamp or other contact-carrier at one or .both of. its

ends, and adapted to have the circuit through the said members closed or opened by slightly moving one of the said members without detaching the same from" each other. Another object is to provide means for holding the wire-carrying plug or other detachable member in firm interengagement with a socket in either one of two positions, in only one of which positions it is electrically connected to both terminals of the socket.

Still another object is to provide a simple,

spring-actuated means for holding the detachable lamp or plugin such interengagement and for ejecting the same from the socket when it is to be detached.

The device of my invention is particularly adapted for use with sockets having one terminal grounded through the casing and is shown in such an embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1- is a longitudinal view.partlyin section, showing a socket having a lamp and a. wirecarrying plug interengaged therewith in current-carrying or circuitclosing relation. Fig; 2 shows the same members with the wire-carrying plug moved to its circuit-opening position. Fig.'-3- is a transverse section through Fig. -2 along the line 3--3. Fig. -'4 shows a modified design of the slot formation upon thecasin g ofthe socket. Fig. -5 is a partial section of a socket showing an alternative design of the interengaging formations upon the casingand the spring-actuated member housed therein. Fig. -'.-6-'- is a transverse section through Fig. 5-'- along the line 6--6.

'In the drawings he socket comprises a substantially cylindrical casing 1 having an.

insulating cylinder 2 mounted near theeenter thereof, and having 'bayone't catch slots 3 at one end 'of the "casing adapted to engage rejections 1 upon the metal shell 5'of the ass of a lamp 6.- One end of the filament of the lamp is'electrigcally connected to the shell 5 ofthe lamp base and henewill beelectrically connected'to the casing of the socket and to the metal lamp parts upon which the-latter is mounted in practice. The other end of. the filament is connected to a contact button 7 disposed endwardly upon theba'se of the lamp and preferably-in axial alinement with the lamp base.

Y When the lamp and socket are intere}nga ed, as in --1, the terminal 7 of t e mounted upon the socket .and preferably consisting of a brass plunger having'an enlarged head 9 slidably mounted within a brass cylinder 10, which cylinder is mounted within the insulating body 2 axially of the casing. The opposite end of the cylinder is closed by a cap 11 through which a companion contact plunger 12 projects toward the opposite end of the socket casin both of the plungers 8 and 12 being norma ly forced in opposite directions by a spring 13 interposed therbetween.

At the'end of the socket opposite to that which receives the lamp base, the casing 1 is equipped with a pair of oppositely disposed compound slots 14 having enlarged portions 15 and 16, the said enlargements of the slot being directed toward the adjacent end of the casing and positioned at different distances from the said end. Thus each compound slot consists of a mouth portion 14 extending from the end of the casing substantially longitudinally of the latter, a continuation portion 28 also extending substantially longitudinally of the casing but laterally offset from the mouth portion 14, a lateral portion connecting the outer end of the portion 28 with the inner end'of the portion 14, and another lateral portion extending circumfer entially oft-he casing from the inner end of the continuation portion 28. The last named lateral portion has anenlargement'lli afiording a seat for the projection 17 upon the'base ofthe terminal-carrier for interlocking the amp impinges against "a contact 8 latter with the socket in the position in which the respective contacts of the lamp and terminal-carrier are in contacting relation. The other one of the lateral slot portions also has an enlargement 15 substantially in alinement with the continuation portion 28, which enlargement affords a. seat for the projection 17 with the contacts of the terminal carrier and the socket in noncontacting relation; both of the said enlargements being directed toward the end of the casing. In other words, the zigzag slot or.

guide portion in'the casing or sleeve vof the socket consists essentially of a lateral inner portion and of a longitudinal portion haviqg an offset therein, with seats both at the 0 set and in the inner transverse portion of the slot for engaging the projection which travels in the said slot.

It will be obvious from Fig. 1, that upon slightly rotating the plug With respect to the socket so as to bring the projection 17 into alinement with the continuation portion 28 of the compound slot, the spring-actuated member 24 will tend to eject the plug and will move the sameiuntil the said projection 17 is engaged by the seat portion 15 at the offset of the slot, which seat portion is substantially in alinement with the portion 28. The plug will then be held as in Fig. 2, with its central contact and a corresponding contact of the socket in non-contacting relation, so that it will require a further partial rotation of the plug with respect to the socket topermit the projection 17 to pass out of the mouth end of the zigzag slot in order that the plug can be detached from the socket. The compound slots 14 are adapted to have pro ections 17 slide therein, the said pro ections being mounted upon a brass shell 18 carried by a wire terminal'plug 19. One

of the Wires 20 of the said plug is electrically connected to the brass shell 18 and hence through the casingl of the socket to the conducting base 5 of the lamp. The other 7 .wire 21 is electrically connected to a termiand in axial alinement with the socket casnal button 22 carried by the'plug 19 and preferably positioned endwardly of the plug ing when the plug and socket are engaged by the coaction of the projection 17 and the pockets 15 or 16 of the said compound slot.

When the plug is thus in operative position,

[the contact 22 carried thereby impinges against the contact'plunger 12 of the socket, so as to carry current from the wire 21 through the said impinging members, the spring 13, cylinder 10 and contact plunger 9 to the contact terminal 7 of the lamp. When the projections 17 upon the plug are interlocked with the more inwardly positioned pockets 16 of theslots in the socket casing, the pressure of the spring 10 upon the contact plunger 12 will be transmitted to the plug through the terminal 22 upon which the casing 1.

the said plunge-r impinges, thereby tending to force the plug outwardly and hence hold- .ing the said projections and the pocket formations upon the slots in firm engagement.

Circumferentially of the contact plunger 12 ot'the socket and insulated therefrom I provide an auxiliary compression spring 23 bearing at one end against the insulating body 2 and at the other end against a washer 24, the latter being slidable with respect to The washer-24 has a pair of diametrically oppositelug's or projections 25 adapted to extend beyond the be e of the casing into longitudinalslots 27 ormed in the latter. When the plug and socket are interengaged, as in Fig. 1-, with the circuit from the wire 21 to the terminal 7 of the lamp v-closedl through the spring-separated plungers, the auxiliary spring 23 will be under compression and Will tend to move the plug outwardly of the socket. casing when the latter is disengaged by manually rotating the plugrelative to the casing so as to bringthe projections 17 into alinement with the portion 28 of the slot, which por mationsofthe pockets 16, then slightly rotating the plug relative to the casing of the socket and thereupon relinquishing the pressure, the auxiliary spring 23. will force the plug outwardlyinto the position shown in Fig. ail'rEwhich position the projections 17. are 'seated in the more endward pockets 15 of the slots and are held in interengagement therewith by the coaction of the spring23, the washer 25 moved thereby and the said plug and projections. Then upon again slightly pressing the plug inwardly towardthe socket and rotating it until the projections come into alinement with the portions 29 of the slot vwhich extends to the end of the casing, and then relinquishing the pressure, the said auxiliary spring member will eject the plug from the casing of th socket. I

To avoid having the Washer 24 ejected with the plug, I terminate the longitudinal slots 27 inwardly of the end of the casing so that the end of the slot will act as stops to limit the outward movement of the springactuated washer. Instead .ofpunching slots through the casingto coact with the projections upon the Washer for thus limiting the movementof the auxiliary spring meme ber of my device, the coacting formations upon the socket casing may be formed by laterally enlarging the bore of the casing,

ends of which will serve as stops for the tips, of the pronged Washer 24. While I have shown the compound slot upon the socket casing as consisting of two longitudinally disposed portions 29 and 29 lateral of each other, I do, not wish to be limited to this arrangement of the slots, as various other arrangements could be used for providing one slot connecting a pair of enlargements or pocket formations and an adjoined slot serving as an entrance or exit passage therefrom. For example, Fig. 4 shows another arrangement of the slot formation in which an entrance or exit slot 31 leads to a diagonally disposed slot 32 connecting the pocket formations 15 and 16, the said enlargements or pocket formations-being at different distances from the adjacent end of the casing and at opposite sides of the juncture of the said slot 32 with the entrance slot 31.

It will be noticed that the slots and the enlargements thereof serve as guide formations for. the projections or stops 17 on the terminal carrier, so that when the contacts 12 and 22 are out of engagement, the stop 17 and theabutment formed by the 'endward edge of the enlargement 15 cooperate to prevent a total separation of the casing and the terminal carrier. Also that when the contacts 12 and 22 are in engagement, the stop 17 will coact with the abutment formed by the endward edge of the enlargement 16 to prevent relative movement of the casing with respect to the terminal carrier. Also that the spring 23 and the slidable member 24 coact to hold the stop or projection 17 in cooperative relation with either abutment. While I have pictured and described the device of my invention as used in connection with a lamp, it will be evident that other forms of terminal-carriers or contact-carriers might be substituted for the lamp. For example, a wire-carrying plug similar to that shown at the right hand of Figs. -1- and 2 could be used at the lamp end of the socket, (as shown in dotted lines at the left end of Fig. 2-) thereby making the socket serve as a connector for the wires connected to the two plugs and enabling the circuit to be opened or closed by movin the plug 19 from the more inward to t e more outward of its interengaged positions. Likewise, the lamp and plug of Fig. 2 might be interchanged relative to the ends of the casing, as shown by the dotted lines, in which case the circuit would be controlled by manipulating the lamp to move it from one to the other of its positions of interengagement with the casing of the socket. Moreover, I do not wish to be limited to the particular form of plunger contact arrangement shown in the socket of my drawings, nor to other details of the construction shown, as these might be varied considerably within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

I claim as my invention:

.1. In a socket for a terminal carrier having a lateral projection upon its base, a casin adapted to receive one end of the termina carrier, the said casing having at one end a slot with an enlargement therein, the project-ion upon the terminal carrier interfitting the slot and adapted toseat in the said enlarg'ement thereof; a contact insulated fromand mounted within the casingand contacting with the terminal carrier; a slidable member housed within the casing intermediate of the said contact and thesaid slotted end of the casing; and a spring tending to slide the said member toward the said slotted end of the casing and into contact with the end of the terminal carrier; the spring and the slidable member coacting with the terminal carrier to hold the said projection seated in the said enlargement of the slot in the casing.

2. In an electric connector, a casing, a spring-pressed cont-act mounted therein, a terminal carrier having an end portion interfitting one end of the said casing and having a contact adapted to engage the said spring-pressed contact, the said interfitting end of the casing having a guide formation including a pair of abutments spaced longitudinally and circumferentially of the. casing along the guide; a stop on the terminal carrier cooperating with one abutment when the contacts are out of engagement to prevent total separation of the casing and the terminal carrier, and wit-h the other abutment when thecontacts are in engagement to prevent relative inovementof the casing with respect to the terminal carrier; a slidable member mounted within the said interfitting end of the casing and engaging the end of the terminal carrier: and a spring forcing the saidmember against the terminal carrier, the said spring andmember c0- acting to hold the stop in cooperative relation with either abutment.

3. In a socket for a terminal carrier ha"- inga lateral projection upon its base, a casnal carrier, the said casing having a slot with an enlargement therein, the projection upon the terminal carrier interfitting the slot and adapted to seat in the enlargement thereof; a contact insulated from and mounted Within the casing and contacting with a terminal of the terminal carrier when the projection on the latter is seated in the said enlargement of the slot; and a springpressed pronged member housed within the casing intermediate of the said contact and the said slotted end of the casing; there being formations in the casin slidingly engaging the prongs of the said member, the i said prongs coacting with the said formaing adapted to receive one end of the termitions to retain the pronged member in operative posltion when the terminal carrier is detached from the socket.

4. In a-socket for a terminal-carrier hav-' ing a lateral projection upon its base, a casing having atone end a zigzag slot in which the said projection is adapted to travel; the

being directed toward the said end of the casing, one of the said enlargements being substantially in alinement with the said continuation portion; each of said enlargements being adapted to afford a seat for the said projection upon the base of the terminalearrier.

f' 5. In an electric connector, a casing, a

spring-pressed contact mounted therein, a terminal carrier having an end portion interfitting one end of the said casing, and having a contact adapted to engage the said spring-pressed contact, the said lnterfitting end of the casing having a guide formation including a pair of abutments spaced. longitudinally and circumferentially of the casing along the guide; a stop on the terminal carrier cooperating with one abutment when the contacts are out of engagement toprevent total separation of the casing and the terminal carrier, and with the other abutment when the contacts are in engagement to prevent relative movement of the casing with respect to the terminal carrier; :1

1 pronged slidable member mounted within the said interfitting end of the casing and engaging the end of the terminal carrier; and a spring forcing the said member against the terminal carrier; the said spring v and member coacting to hold the stop in oooperative relation with either abutment; there being slots 1n the casin slidably interfitting the prongs of the s11 able member,

the ends of the said prongs serving as prongs to-retain the slidable member in operative position upon withdrawal of the terminal carrier from the casing.

6. In a lamp socket having interlocking formations upon the casing engaging formations upon the lamp base, means for holding the said formations interengaged, the said means comprising a member mounted within the casing and adapted to be moved by thebase of the lamp when the same is brought into' the said interengagement with the casing of the socket, and a spring tending to slide the said member endwardly of the socket, there being stop formations upon the casing of the socket for re taining the said member within the casing when the base of the lamp is Withdrawn therefrom.

7 In an electric socket for a terminalcarrier having a lateral projection upon its base and having a contact adapted to engage a contact of the socket, a sleeve provided at its end with a compound slot in which the said projection is adapted to travel; the said slot comprising an inner portion extending circumferentially of the casin (an enlargement in this inner portion a ording a seat for the said projection when the said contacts of the socket and terminal-carrier are in contacting relation) and a main portion extending substantially longitudinally of the sleeve from the said inner portion of the slot to the end of the casing, there being an offset in the said main portion; the

said offset affording a seat for the said projection when the said'contacts of the socket and terminal-carrier are in non-contacting relation, the said ofii'set also serving to compel a rotary movement of the terminal-carrier relative to'the sleeve before the terminal-carrier can be detached from the socket after being moved from its said contacting to its said non-contacting relation with the socket.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing wit- IIBSSBS- ALBERT SCHEIBLE.

slidably 

